Artwork

The Daughters of Cecrops Open the Casket Entrusted to Them by Minerva

The Daughters of Cecrops Open the Casket Entrusted to Them by Minerva is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hendrick Goltzius. It dates from 1589 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:in plate, across lower edge: Mandat Erichtonium Cecrope natis, / Et temere inspiciant ne sua sacra iubet / Vimen et Aglauros reserat gemin, e q sorores / Delictum cornix garru la cernit avis

About this work

Overview

Hendrick Goltzius, a German‑born artist active in the Dutch Republic, produced this engraving in 1589. Executed on laid paper, the print presents a compact, dark‑lit interior where three robed women attend a wooden chest bound with rope. The composition is rendered in fine, sharply cut lines characteristic of the medium.

Subject & Meaning

The scene draws on a classical myth in which the daughters of the Athenian king Cecrops are entrusted by the goddess Minerva with a sealed casket. Their cautious gestures, one lifting the lid, another peering inside, the third gripping the rope, suggest a moment of revelation or forbidden knowledge, reflecting themes of curiosity and divine instruction.

Technique & Style

Goltzius employs the precise incising of engraving, using densely packed cross‑hatching and delicate line work to model light and shadow. The contrast between the dim interior and the narrow beam of daylight from a window highlights the figures and the chest, while the crispness of the lines demonstrates the artist’s mastery of the Northern Mannerist aesthetic.

History & Provenance

Created during the early Baroque period, the print exemplifies Goltzius’s reputation as a leading Dutch engraver of his time. It was likely circulated among collectors of mythological prints in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, though specific ownership records for this particular impression are not documented.

Context

The work reflects the Renaissance fascination with antiquity and the moralizing potential of myth. By portraying a moment of divine trust and human hesitation, Goltzius aligns with contemporary intellectual currents that used classical stories to explore ethical and philosophical questions.

The Daughters of Cecrops Open the Casket Entrusted to Them by Minerva, Hendrick Goltzius

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Artist & collection

Artist

Hendrick Goltzius

Hendrick Goltzius (German: , Dutch: ; né Goltz; January or February 1558 – 1 January 1617) was a German-born Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter.